Disruptive and violent children need to be helped rather than shunned by schools, the father of murdered lawyer Tom ap Rhys Pryce has said.

John ap Rhys Pryce told the BBC's Today programme that schools lacked the necessary facilities to cope with disturbed children.

On Tuesday his son's teenage killers were given life sentences.

The 31-year-old was stabbed twice in the chest in Kensal Green, north-west London, in January.

Speaking about his son's killers, Donnel Carty, 19, and Delano Brown, 18, who received minimum jail terms of 21 years and 17 years, Mr ap Rhys Pryce said: "Its not just Tom's life that's been destroyed, it's their lives as well".

But he said he was setting up a charity to help divert young people away from street crime and to offer help to disadvantaged youngsters.

There are not that many facilities where those children can be looked after

John ap Rhys Pryce

He said schools needed enough funding to provide help for disruptive children.

"We need to stop people who are excluded from schools... children who are disruptive and violent... there aren't that many facilities where those children can be looked after."

His comments came on the day a report by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) found that street robbers often carry out their crimes for the thrill as much as for the financial gain.

"Lots of people do things for a buzz, for kicks, for adrenaline, but it doesn't have to be violent," Mr ap Rhys Price added.

"I can understand it, in a way, but I think that we have to try and divert that desire for excitement or kicks or buzz, whatever you like to call it, into a different direction."

He said he also believed there should strict regulations on the carrying of knives.